The Killer Queen by Noella Briony

Chapter 154

They had all scrambled their way to a position where they were stuck in limbo, neither rising nor falling in the ranks. They had long lost any real interest in putting in an honest day’s work

at the lab!

After punching the clock, they would skedaddle out to fish, play cards, or find some other mischief. Little did they know, their shenanigans were being captured in crystal clear detail!

“You’re invading people’s privacy!” one of them protested.

Mizar just shrugged. “You’re fishing in my pond. I haven’t even billed you for that pleasure. And the card games? They’re held at my own tavern. Tell me, what rules have I broken?”

When the whiz kids from Polaris Star arrived in Emerald County, they embraced the laid–back lifestyle with gusto. They leased a few ponds for casual fishing and bought some storefronts to dabble in business. Before they knew it, they had snapped up an entire block.

And in the process, they also managed to catch Zack and Ryker’s fun–seeking escapades on

camera.

“Speaking of which, you still owe for last month’s card game and yesterday’s fishing. We run a tight ship here, right, Boss?”

“Of course, payment is due.” Noella faced the pair’s panicked attempts to shut down the central monitor with a sneer. “I’ve come to ask Mr. Pollack whether the security network at your lab has fallen so far behind that even experimental data can be intercepted?”

Just minutes ago, her freshly minted experimental data had been pilfered, still warm from the lab!

Turning to Elara with a softened tone, Noella continued, “Ms. Schnabel, have all the recent experimental results from Phoenix Lab been your doing?”

“Yes, it’s all my and my team’s sleepless work, but….” Elara’s face turned ashen, her words trailing off.

The data were hers, but for reasons unknown, they had vanished overnight!

The assistant, indignant on her behalf, chimed in, “Our director Elara hasn’t had a proper night’s sleep in a week, living in the lab, and now the data’s gone.”

Zack fumbled with the controls, trying to stop the endless loop of video on the central screen. As he neared the controller, Noella’s cool, detached voice rang out.

“I’ve forwarded a copy of that video to Mr. Pollack. It’s the full, unedited high–definition version. As for its contents, maybe it’s time to reflect on what you’ve been saying.”

Zack, realizing the gravity of her words, collapsed onto the floor, legs turning to jelly.

What had they been saying?

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lacking any real expertise, and now was probably trying to keep Elara as a… Well, the words they had used were far from

challenged Elara. “Just because Ms. Schnabel claims to have done the experiment, we should believe her?

data was indeed Elara’s biggest problem.

two were dead set on using that point to force her out of Phoenix Lab, weren’t they?

a gleam in her eye. “Ms. Schnabel, do you remember

but results without data… they’re useless.” Elara’s

Lab’s caliber, a single experimental result must be underpinned by countless pieces of validating data. Results derived from too few or no

data from Phoenix Lab

announcement stunned

lab had stolen their colleagues‘ data? In the world of research, this was nothing short

even part of our lab. What gives you the right to spout

display. “These two sets of data, one of them was submitted by Ryker, correct? I remember it well; it

with the email he received, he nodded after confirming

I submitted it. What’s the issue?”

confidence. “The issue is, the results in the email I sent was fake, and you, Ryker, have used this fake results

should yield? How could samples ‘aa‘ and ‘bb‘ possibly produce ‘c‘? Has Phoenix Lab’s staff lost their minds over the last two years, or is it just old age causing forgetfulness?” The sarcasm in her tone was

DIA

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Chaplet 154

palpable.

slick with sweat. “It’s… I forgot… I chose the

you sure? Have you made your

sure! The other one is my data!”

looked to Elara with a smile. “And you, Ms.

conviction unwavering. “I choose neither. My data, with minimal error, could not

to her by her assistant, Elara

Star’s job to handle this stage of the experiment, she always double–checked every step

held up her own data. “Roughly, it should look like this. Both sets of data from

side, was

No wonder these lowlifes wanted her

produced the correct experimental data. “Coincidentally, my